Tape applicator



April 24, 1962 c. M. STEPHENSON TAPE APPLICATOR Filed July 29, 1959 JIE 5 IN V TOR.

BYZZZQW nited 3,031,369 TAPE APPLICATGR Carl M. Stephenson, 324 Marchester Drive, Dayton, Ohio Filed July 29, 195a, Ser. No. assess 8 Claims. (Cl. 156-53@) This invention relates to a tape applicator or a marker and more particularly to a marker using pieces of material provided with an adhesive coating that is automatically placed in position by the marking device.

The device may be used as a garment marker, such as a skirt marker, for marking the position of a hem, by the use of pieces of adhesive tape cut from a strip of adhesive tape, the cut pieces being impinged upon the surface to be marked. Various types of skirt markers and marking devices have been manufactured, some of which are attached to a door where the marker may be raised or lowered, depending upon the distance of the hem from the floor. Some of these markers use chalk and some use other modes of marking the skirt or garment to be marked.

An object of this invention is to provide a marker that is portable, that may be mounted upon a door or some other support, whereby the person wearing the garment to be marked may mark the garment without outside assistance, in that it is merely necessary for the person to move in such a position that the perimeter of the skirt or garment to be marked is moved into marking position.

Another object of this invention is to provide a punching device for punching from a strip of adhesive material small pieces or discs of adhesive material that are automatically positioned on the material to be marked.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device for removing from a strip of continuous length adhesive material small pieces that are impinged upon a surface to be marked immediately after being severed from the adhesive material.

Other objects and advantages reside in the construction of parts, the combination thereof, the method of manufacture and the mode of operation, as will become more apparent from the following description.

Referring to the drawings,

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment shown attached to a door which is shown in phantom.

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the device shown in FIGURE 1 with a solenoid driving member.

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary view of the clamp used in securing the marking device to a door or other suitable support.

In the drawings, the reference character shows a door in phantom, having attached thereto a skirt marker 12 that includes a plate member 14 forming the main support, provided with a pair of clamps 16 for gripping the edge of the door 10. The skirt marker 12 may be adjusted to the desired height on the door. Each of the clamps 16, as best seen in FIGURE 3, consists broadly of a channel portion 18 having a reentrant resilient flange 20 that resiliently grips the margin of the door. This resilient flange 20 may be covered with suitable material, as for example, a rubber band or jacket, so that the flange 20 will not mar or scratch the surface of the door.

A spool 30, having wound thereon adhesive tape 32, is mounted for rotation on a pivot 34. As may be clearly seen in FIGURE 1, the adhesive coated strip or tape 32 is pulled over a stud or guide 36, with the uncoated side of the adhesive strip in contact with the guide 36. This tape then passes under a die member 40 and is wrapped around a spool 42 provided with a ratchet wheel 44, the spool and ratchet wheel being rotated in unison about a pivot 46. Pieces of adhesive tape are punched from the tape as the tape advances between a punch 50 and the ing mechanism for withdrawing the adhesive tape from the spool 30 and for driving the punch 50 and an anvil member 52; will now be described.

A vertically disposed member 619 is provided with a plurality of slots 62, 64 and 66. The slots 62 and 64 extend longitudinally; but are parallel with the main body member 66. The slots 62 and 64 are guided by suitable pins '79 and 72 fixedly secured to the plate member 14. The slot 66 has a vertical portion 665: and a diagonally inclined portion 66b. The lower end of member 64 is offset at 84 and is provided with a pin 32 positioned in a slot 84 in the anvil member 52 pivotally mounted to the plate member 14 at 86. It can readily be seen, when member 60 is in the full line position shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, that the upper end of the anvil member 52 is arranged in spaced relation from the die member 4A However, when member 60 is raised, the upper end of the anvil member 52 moves from the full line position, shown in FIGURE 2, into the dot-dash position shown in this figure. Member 60 also carries a pawl adapted to engage the teeth on the ratchet wheel 44, so that as member 60 is raised, as viewed in FIGURES l and 2, the pawl actuates the ratchet wheel 44 to rotate the tape receiving spool 42 through a short distance.

The punch 50 is provided with a pin 92 having one end seated in a slot 94 in a punch supporting member 96, the punch supporting member 96 being secured to the plate member 14. The pin 92 also projects into the slot 66. As member 60 is raised, the spool 42 is rotated by the pawl 90 through a distance at least equal to the spacing of the teeth on the ratchet wheel 44 and the upper end of the anvil member 52 is driven toward the die 40. The pin 92, when it engages the diagonal portion 66b, drives the punch Sti toward the right, as viewed in FIG URE 2, so as to drive the punch through the adhesive tape 32, severing a piece or disc 192 from the tape and applying this to the skirt material 100, a portion of which is shown in phantom in FIGURE 1. By doing this periodically, it can readily be seen that the skirt will then be provided with a plurality of discs 1G2 located at uniform height that are used to designate the hem. Any suitable type of tape may be used, as for example, masking tape. The body of the tape may have various colors, so that the color of the pieces or discs contrasts with the color of the material. Instead of using a punch and die, a pair of shear members could be used to sever a piece of tape from the end of the tape. In that event, only a supply spool of tape driven by a pawl and ratchet would be used.

In the disclosure in FIGURES 1 and 2, the bar 60 is offset from the spools. This bar could be mounted in alignment with the pivots 34 and 46. The pivots 34 and 46 would then be mounted in the slots 72 and 70 respectively.

In FIGURE 1 a hand drive for actuating the marking device has been shown. This hand drive consists of a Bowden wire 110, consisting of a center wire portion 112 and a sleeve or cover 114. The wire 112 is attached to the upper end of member 60 at 1116. Relative movement between the wire I12 and the sleeve 114 is accomplished by a pair of hand clamps 134 and 132 pivotally attached together at 134, an end 136 of clamp 130 being attached to the tubular sleeve 114 and an end 138 of the clamp 132 being attached to the wire 112, so that when members 130 and 132 are gripped by the end and pulled together, the Wire drives member 60 upwardly to first feed some tape and later to drive the punch and, at the same time, the punched disc from the tape being impinged upon one side of the skirt material and the anvil member sup- 3 porting the opposite side, so as to cause the disc to adhere to the skirt material 109.

In order to prevent the ratchet wheel 44 from rotating in a counterclockwise direction, as shown in FIGURE 2, a pawl 144 engages the ratchet teeth.

Referring to the disclosure shown in FIGURE 2, the

vertically disposed member 50 is driven upwardly by a solenoid 150 energized from a suitable source of power whenever the switch 152 is closed. This switch 152 may be carried by the operator and whenever the operator desires to mark the skirt, it is merely necessary to close the switch, at which time the solenoid 15! will actuate the marking device.

The tape feeding mechanism and the punch or severing device are driven in seriatim, so that the tape stands still while the piece of adhesive tape is punched r severed from the source of supply.

Although the preferred embodiment of the device has been described, it will be understood that within the purview of this invention various changes may be made in the form, details, proportion and arrangement of parts, the combination thereof and mode of operation, which generally stated consist in a device capable of carrying out the objects set forth, as disclosed and defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a skirt marker utilizing pieces of adhesive tape for marking the hem of a suspended skirt, said skirt marker including the combination of a vertically adjustably mounted support, a pair of tape severing devices mounted on the support and on one side of the skirt, said tape severing devices including a stationary die member and a punch, said skirt being suspended with the lower margin thereof in the proximity of the severing devices, a movably mounted anvil member mounted on the side of the skirt opposite the severing devices, means for feeding adhesive tape material between the severing devices, and driving means for driving the tape feeding means feeding tape between the severing devices and for driving the punch towards the anvil member, the punch impinging the severed piece of tape upon the skirt suspended between the severing devices and the anvil member.

2. In a device for impinging pieces of adhesive coated tape upon tape receiving material according to claim 1, wherein the driving means drives the tape feeding means and the punch in seriatim so that the tape is stationary when a piece of tape is severed.

3. In a device for impinging pieces of adhesive coated tape upon tape receiving material according to claim 1, wherein the driving means is manually driven by a wire passing through a tube.

4. In a device for impinging pieces of adhesive coated tape upon tape receiving material according to claim 1, wherein the driving means includes a solenoid used as a driving motor.

5. In a skirt marker utilizing pieces of adhesive tape for marking the hem of a skirt, said skirt marker including the combination of a pair of tape severing devices mounted on one side of the skirt, said tape severing devices including a stationary die member and a punch mounted for movement through the die member, a movably mounted anvil member mounted on the side of the skirt opposite the severing devices, means for adjusting the vertical height of the tape severing devices and the anvil member, a pair of spools, one for a supply of adhesive material and the other spool for withdrawing the adhesive material and winding the waste material thereon, a pawl and ratchet mechanism for driving said other spool, and driving means for driving the pawl and ratchet mechanism, for driving the punch and for driving the anvil member toward the severing devices, the punch impinging the severed piece of adhesive tape upon the portion of the skirt suspended between the severing devices and the anvil member.

6. In a skirt marker utilizing pieces of adhesive tape for marking the hem of a suspended skirt, said skirt marker including the combination of a vertically adjustably mounted support, a pair of tape severing devices mounted on said support and on one side of the skirt, said severing devices including a stationary die member and a punch mounted for movement through the die member, an anvil member mounted on the skirt opposite the severing devices, means for feeding adhesive tape material between the severing devices, and driving means for driving the tape feeding means feeding tape between the severing devices and for driving the punch, said punch impinging the severed piece of tape upon the skirt suspended between the anvil member and the tape severing devices.

7. In a skirt marker utilizing pieces of adhesive tape for marking the hem, said skirt marker including a plate member, means for adjustably supporting the plate member upon the edge of an open door, a pair of tape severing devices mounted on the plate member and positioned to one side of the skirt, a movably mounted anvil member mounted on said plate and on the side of the skirt opposite the severing devices, a pair of spools, one for a supply of adhesive material, and the other spool for withdrawing the adhesive material and winding the waste material thereon, a pawl and ratchet mechanism for driving said other spool, and driving means for driving the pawl and ratchet mechanism, for driving the punch and for driving the anvil member toward the severing devices, the punch impinging the severed piece of adhesive tape upon the portion of the skirt suspended between the severing devices and the anvil member.

8. A skirt marker according to claim 7, wherein the driving means actuates a pawl of the pawl and ratchet mechanism to withdraw adhesive tape and subsequently driving the punch, said driving means driving said anvil member against the end of the punch so as to engage the skirt suspended between the severing devices and the anvil member against the skirt opposite the severing devices.

References ited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,295,903 Kennedy Sept. 15, 1942 2,652,245 Bentley Sept. 15, 1953 2,756,891 Hill July 31, 1956 2,818,190 Booty Dec. 31, 1957 

1. IN A SKIRT MARKER UTILIZING PIECES OF ADHESIVE TAPE FOR MARKING THE HEM OF A SUSPENDED SKIRT, SAID SKIRT MARKER INCLUDING THE COMBINATION OF A VERTICALLY ADJUSTABLY MOUNTED SUPPORT, A PAIR OF TAPE SEVERING DEVICES MOUNTED ON THE SUPPORT AND ON ONE SIDE OF THE SKIRT, SAID TAPE SEVERING DEVICES INCLUDING A STATIONARY DIE MEMBER AND A PUNCH, SAID SKIRT BEING SUSPENDED WITH THE LOWER MARGIN THEREOF IN THE PROXIMITY OF THE SEVERING DEVICES, A MOVABLY MOUNTED ANVIL MEMBER MOUNTED ON THE SIDE OF THE SKIRT OPPOSITE THE SEVERING DEVICES, MEANS FOR FEEDING ADHESIVE TAPE MATERIAL BETWEEN THE SEVERING DEVICES, AND DRIVING MEANS FOR DRIVING THE TAPE FEEDING MEANS FEEDING TAPE BETWEEN THE SEVERING DEVICES AND FOR DRIVING THE PUNCH TOWARDS THE ANVIL MEMBER, THE PUNCH IMPINGING THE SEVERED PIECE OF TAPE UPON THE SKIRT SUSPENDED BETWEEN THE SEVERING DEVICES AND THE ANVIL MEMBER. 